Only The Gospel Can Fix This

Only the Gospel Can Fix This Romans

Read Romans 1:18-32

I know it is tempting sometimes to look at the world, to look at society, and to say, “It is too late. The world is going to hell in a hand basket. There is nothing I can do about it. There is nothing I can do to change things. To want to throw in the towel and quit.

When we hear on the news of a man who punched an innocent man in the 70’s, for no reason, and yet is released on bail while his victim is still in a coma in the hospital, it’s tempting to want to quit.

When we cannot stop at an intersection in our area, without someone holding up a sign near our vehicle, wanting a handout; it’s tempting to want to quit.

When we hear of scores of people running into stores, and running off with armloads of stuff they’ve stolen with no remorse and with no fear, it’s tempting to want to quit.

When politicians blatantly lie to us time and time again, and we see those same lying folks being reelected, it’s tempting to want to quit. Anyone who has ever taken an entry-level economics class knows you don’t fight inflation by printing more money and by spending money you don’t have. It’s tempting to want to quit.

When we see folks trying to push a homosexual agenda in our schools; the friendliest place on earth, a place designed for children and families being overrun by homosexuals; when we see drag queens reading to children in our libraries; it’s tempting to want to quit.

When we hear of Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and California, all pushing bills that would legalize killing babies up to, and in several instances, even after birth, it is tempting to want to quit.

But my friends, I want to tell you that what we are seeing before us today is nothing new. What we see before us today may be shocking to us, it may be demoralizing and discouraging to us, but it is nothing new. There is nothing new under the sun. The devil just rehashes the same sins again and again, generation after generation.

Paul and the Christians in Rome lived during such a time. There was slavery in Rome. Human life was cheap. Crime was widespread. Homosexuality, pediphilia, and adultery were rampant. The politicians did pretty much what they wanted. If you were not in power, it could be a very discouraging time to be alive.

In the midst of this setting, with Christianity being persecuted, and Paul’s life often on the line, He writes in verse 16,

- Read Romans 1:16.

In the midst of all of this, Paul writes, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.

Those Christians continued to live the Christian life, and they continued to teach their children, and they continued to share the Gospel in the midst of that nastiness, in the midst of persecution, and in 300 years, on February 27, 380 AD, Christianity became of the official religion of Rome.

Why? Because some Christians refused to compromise, refused to quit, and refused to live like the world. Jesus had touched and changed their lives, and they insisted on living out the gospel in front of the world.

As Paul said, “It is the power of God unto salvation.”

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 6, beginning in verse 9,

> 1 Corinthians 6:8-11 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Some of the folks in Corinth were just like the folks in Rome, and just like the people in our communities, and just like us, but God changed them through the Gospel. But what is the Gospel?

There is, within this letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, something often referred to as the Roman Road. It is an outline of the Gospel we claim and believe. If you have your Bibles with you, I encourage you to mark these verses as we look at them together.

ROMAN ROAD

1. Romans 3:23

- Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.